| For
those with an eye for detail, notice that stone
images are plentiful in Nepal. Beneath the watertaps,
around temples and stupas, and along ancient and
modern streets alike there are images of lions and
griffins, detailed and obscure gods that date back
centuries and those that have been set there recently
by faithful seeking a connection with the immortal.
The history of Nepal is told in stone. Few manuscripts
have survived, the oral tradition fails to identify
the nation's ancient culture, wooden images beyond
the seventeenth century have mostly rotted away
and metal work barely reaches the tenth century.
So for scholars and for those seeking an insight
into Nepalese minds, stone tells the clearest stories.
There was time when stone art was waning. Particularly
after the fall of the Mallas, there was no real
demand, but now stone carvers are busy again. Young
men are seen creating work that rival the finery
of their ancestors' creations and it is the Nepalese
people themselves who have fueled this growth. |
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| Stone
sculpture is seen everywhere in the Kathmandu Valley,
along trekking trails, and by the riversides.
Granite,
sandstone, and even marble is used. Carvers in the
Valley bring in stone from Dakshinkali or Gadavari
quarries.
Artisans
use primitive tools. The set square and the primitive
compass are considered "modern." Some
of the carvers are beginning to use the drill.
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| It
is up to the artist to envision what he or
she wants to create. References can be made
to history or the imagination can rule. A
rough sketch is made on stone. It is entirely
the "feel" of the artisan that determines
the quality of the product. Lines are drawn
by the chisel. Experience teaches the artist
how to work. The only way they learn is through
apprenticeship. Experience ranging over generations
helps many. The art of stonework is passed
on from grandfather to father to son. The
clans are tightly knitted. |
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| An
image in its earlier stage, the shape is coming.
Boys as young as eighteen are skilled in the
art of stone shaping. Further details have
been worked out. Granite is the preferred
stone, marble is worked upon only on special
request. Details are now to be filled in.
High quality sandstone is used for work that
requires great detail and they need to be
saved from the elements. The image is ready
for the showroom. It is the Nepalese people
themselves who have fueled the growth of this
form of art. |
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| Carvers
are used to working with traditional themes and
images. Deities, serpents, yogis, oxen, lions, and
the Buddha are some of the images that they work
on for their clients. These three young men represent
the diverse ethnic groups that are working at stone
carving. Tamangs, Newars, and even the Brahmins
and Chettris are working as carvers in Patan.
While
few new images were being made for decades, ancient
images were stolen and sold in the international
market. Today, Nepal has young blood that can replace
what was lost and in equal finery.
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COLLECTIBLES